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Langerhans, Hester value time in the Majors

Langerhans, Hester value time in the Majors

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ANAHEIM -- Angels outfielder Ryan Langerhans and catcher John Hester certainly aren't here to stay. Langerhans was called up to take the place of Torii Hunter, who's on the restricted list to deal with a personal matter but could return in less than a week. Hester's stay may be a bit longer -- he's taking the place of Chris Iannetta, who will be out 6-8 weeks after undergoing wrist surgery -- but his days in the big leagues are counted, too.

Short-lived as it may be, though, Langerhans and Hester have learned to value any amount of time they spend in the big leagues.

They're a reminder of how fickle this game can be.

"Pretty much since I left Atlanta [in 2007], it's been a grind -- always battling, trying to be up here as long as you can," Langerhans said. "Any day you get to be up here, you don't want to take for granted."

"Not that I took things for granted in Arizona," Hester added, "but I think you just put things in perspective a little bit with just how lucky you are to be up here and how special it really is."

Hester -- a 28-year-old, 6-foot-4 catcher -- appeared in 53 games for the D-backs from 2009-10, then was traded to the Orioles in April 2011, was released by Baltimore this past April 12 and signed a Minor League deal with the Angels shortly thereafter.

Hester had other options. He could've pursued jobs with the economics degree he picked up from Stanford University. But he believes toiling around in the Minors, riding around in buses and hoping for that next callup still beats getting a real job.

"I would like to think so," he said, smiling. "I talk to friends that have real-life jobs and they just tell me to keep doing what I'm doing and there's no hurry to get involved in anything else. I think they're all a little jealous. At least that's what I like to think."

Langerhans, a 32-year-old left-handed hitter, appeared in 259 games with the Braves from 2005-06, then bounced around to five different organizations and averaged 64 games per season over the next five years -- including 19 with the Mariners in 2011.

"As you get older, you cherish any time you get up," said Langerhans, who signed a Minor League deal this offseason and spent the majority of the spring at Angels camp. "But the main thing is getting up here and trying to do a job."